Automatic car-coupling.



No. 837,144. PATENTED NOV. 27, 1906. J. STEPHENS.

AUTOMATIC CAR COUPLING.

APPLIOATI N FILED SEPT. s. 1906.

Jfl WZEJ W A TTORNE Y5 TED STATES JAMES STEPHENS, OF ROCK ISLAND,ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 27, 1906.

Application filed September 6, 1906. Serial No. 333,513.

T0 to whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES STEPHENS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rock Island, in the county of Rock Island and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Automatic Car-Coupler, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-couplers, and has for its object toprovide means whereby adjacent cars may be automatically coupled anduncoupled without the employment of the usual fixed jaw and pivotalknuckle. j

A further object of the invention is to provide a plurality oflaterallyextending coupling-hooks mounted for rotationwithin the headand adapted to engage the hooks of an adjacent coupling-head when thecars are coupled.

A further object is to provide means for moving the hooks to releasedposition, thereby to permit uncoupling of the cars, and, further, toprovide a gravity-actuated device for automatically returning thecouplinghooks to operative or set position. I

A further object is to provide means for yieldably supporting thecoupling-head and means whereby the coupler may be used for couplingcars equipped with the ordinary link-and-pin coupler.

A still further object is to generally imrove this class of devices soas to increase their utility, durability, and efiiciency.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafterfully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it beingunderstood that various changes in form, proporti ons, and minor detailsof construction may be resorted to within the scope of the ap pendedclaims. v

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a top plan view of an automatic car-coupler constructed inaccordance with my invention, showing the cars in position to becoupled. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cars coupled. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of one of the couplers. Fig. 4 is a longitudinalsectional view.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of the drawings.

The improved device comprises a head 5, preferably circular in shape, asshown, and having its central portion provided with a recess or chamber6,vthe side walls of which are inclined or beveled, as indicated at 7,and provided with a segmental slot 8. Extending laterallyfrom the head5, and preferably cast or otherwise formed integral therewith, is ashankor draw-bar 8, provided with a longitudinal opening or bore 9, whichalso pierces the rear wall of the coupling-head, there being a rod 10passed through the bore 9 and having its inner end extending through astationary bracket 11 and provided with terminal threads for engagementwith a clamping-nut 12.

Interposed between the free end of the shank 8 and the bracket 11 is acoiled spring 13,v which serves to receive and absorb the jar or impactincident to coupling and uncoupling the cars, there being asimilarspring 14 interposed between the bracket 11 and the collar 15 forrelieving the coupling-head of excessive strains when a longitudinalpull is exerted on said coupling, it being here stated that the spring14 is secured to and movable with the collar 12.

The inner end of the rod 10 is provided with an enlarged head 16 and abearingsleeve 17, upon which is mounted for rotation a pair oflaterally-extending couplinghooks 18 and 19, the free ends of which areinclined or beveled in opposite direction, as indicated at 20, forengagement with the correspondingly-incli11ed faces of the hooks of anadjacent coupling-head, whereby when the cars are united the hooks ofadjacent coupling-heads will be partially rotated, so as to cause thebills of the hooks to interengage, and thus prevent accidentaldetachment of the cars.

Extending laterally from one of the coupling-hooks is an arm 21, thefree end of which extends through the slot 8 and is provided with aweighted terminal 22, so that when the coupling-hooks are released theweight 22 will autoniatlcally return thehooks to operative or setposition. Pivotally mounted on the weighted end 22 of the arm is a loop23, to which is secured one end of a chain or other flexible medium 24,the opposite end of which passes over a pulley or roller 25, secured tothe transverse beam of the car, and thence extended laterally to oneside of the car, so that the operator by grasping the end of the chainmay move the hooks to released posi tion, and thus permit the cars to bereadily uncoupled.

The hooks 18 and 19 are provided with alined openings 26, adapted toreceive a coupling-pin when the coupler is used in connection with a carequipped with the ordinary link-and-pin coupler.

In coupling the cars the inclined faces of the hooks 18 and 19contactwith each other, and thus partially rotate said hooks, so as topermit the bills thereof to interengage.

In uncoupling the cars a longitudinal pull is exerted on the chain 24,which elevates the Weighted end of the arm 21 and partially rotates theadjacent coupling-hooks, thus permitting the cars to be readilydetached, the arm 21 dropping by gravity to lowered position androtating or returning the hooks to set or operative position, as bestshown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Attention is called to the fact that when the cars are coupled theadjacent adges of the coupling-heads 5 are spaced apart, as indicated at26', thereby to permit lateral movement of the cars in traveling aroundcurves or over rough uneven roads.

From the foregoing description it is thought that the construction andoperation of the device will be readily understood by those skilled inthe art and further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In acar-coupling, a hollow couplinghead having its wall provided with asegmental slot, hooks mounted for rotation within the head and providedwith inclined or beveled ends adapted to engage thecorrespondingly-inclined ends of an adjacent coupler, an arm extendinglaterally from one of the hooks and projecting through the slot in thewall of the coupling-head, said arm being adapted to engage one wall ofthe slot for limiting the rotary movement of the hooks, meansoperatively connected with the arm for moving the hooks to releasedposition, the free end of said arm being weighted thereby toautomatically return the hooks to set position after the cars have beenuncoupled.

2. In a car-coupling, a coupling-head provided with a chamber the sidewalls of which are inclined toward the free ends of the head andprovided with a segmental slot, spaced hooks mounted for rotation withinthe chamber and having their free ends inclined in opposite directionsfor engagement with the correspondingly-inclined ends of the hooks of anadjacent coupler, said hooks being provided with alined openings for thereception of a pin, an arm secured to the hooks and extending throughthe segmental slot and adapted to engage one wall of said slot forlimiting the rotary movement of the hooks, means operatively connectedwith the arm for moving the hooks to released position, the

free end of said arm being weighted thereby to automatically return thehooks to set position after the cars have been uncoupled.

ing its free end weighted and extending through the segmental slot, saidarm being adapted to engage one wall of the slot for limiting the rotarymovement of the hooks, a loop pivotally mounted. on the weighted end ofthe arm, and a chain secured to the loop for moving the hooks toreleased position.

4. In a car-coupling, a hollow couplinghead having a shank provided witha longitudinal bore communicating with the interior of thecoupling-head, a rod seated in said bore, spaced hooks arranged withinthe coupling-head and mounted for rotation on one end of the rod, saidhooks having their free ends inclined in opposite directions forenagement with the corresponding inclined faces of the hooks of anadjacent coupling, a spring carried by the rod and bearing against theshank, an arm extending laterally from the hooks, means operativelyconnected with the arm for moving the hooks to released position, saidarm being weighted thereby to automatically return the hooks to setposition after the cars have been uncoupled.

5. In a car-coupling, a coupling-head having a chamber the walls ofwhich are provided with a segmental slot, a shank extending laterallyfrom the cou ling-head and provided with a longitudinal borecommunicating with the chamber, a brace spaced from the shank, a rodthreaded through the longitudinal bore and having one end thereofprovided with a collar and its opposite end provided with abearing-sleeve, a spring interg posed between the shank and the brace, aspring interposed between the brace and the collar, a pair of hooksseated within the chamber and mounted for rotation on the sleeve of therod, said hooks having their free ends inclined in opposite directionsand provided with alined openings, a weighted arm proj ecting from thehooks and extending through the slot in the coupling-head, and meansoperatively connected with the weighted end of the arm for moving thehooks to released position.

6. In a car-coupling, a coupling-head provided with a chamber the wallsof which are inclined toward the open end of the chamber and providedwith a segmental slot, a shank extending laterally from thecoupling-head and provided with a longitudinal bore, a rod passingthrough said bore and extended within the chamber, spaced hooks disposedwithin the chamber and mounted for rotation on the rod, the free ends ofthe hooks being inclined in opposite directions and provided I Intestimony that I claim the foregoing as with alined openings, an armextending latermy own I have hereto affixed my signature in ally fromthe hooks and having its free end the presence of two Witnesses.

Weighted and projecting through the slot, JAMES STEPHENS. and meansoperatively connected with the W'itnesses: Weighted end of the arm formoving the hooks CHRISTIAN WV. BAKER,

to released position. THOS. J. DONOHUE.

